Advisor
Princess Nguyen & Nurit Fischer-Shemer
Course
Practice-Informed Research in Health Systems
Document Type
Capstone
Publication Date
Fall 12-1-2024
Purpose
Once stigmatized as a “scourge” of the disenfranchised, opioid overdoses now kill more Americans than car accidents and suicides combined, according to the National Safety Council. The growing severity of the problem has reached a national crisis level, and social workers are in a unique position to assess and treat at-risk individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD) to prevent accidental overdoses and death. The need for evidence-based research on social work education and training cannot be overstated. Searches on several prominent search engines and research databases yielded little to no evidence-based research evaluating the teaching of Master of Social Work (MSW) curricula specific to OUD. The misalignment between a major public health crisis and the lack of specific, evidenced-based research on MSW curriculum directed toward OUD training is striking. This study assesses MSW student perceptions of their knowledge, attitudes, and school curriculum to deliver services for this population in need. The researchers predicted that MSW students would have positive attitudes toward those with OUD, but low levels of knowledge and curriculum efficacy. Therefore, overall MSW student readiness is insufficient to address individuals at risk of opioid overdose.
Methods
Researchers utilized email to recruit participants from a cohort of MSW students (n=20) in the final semester of their program at a Northern California university. The email included a link to an online, self-administered survey of 14 questions designed to (1) collect demographic data, (2) assess the student attitudes toward OUD and individuals with this diagnosis, and (3) to understand MSW student perceptions of their school curriculum, as well as knowledge of and attitudes toward opioid abuse disorder.
Findings & Conclusions
The data revealed that 80% of respondents reported having no training on opioid misuse although 75% have had professional experience, which includes their internship. Despite completing nearly 75% of their academic coursework and field internship hours, the majority of students (60%) were either unsure or believed that if clients just try harder, they could eliminate their opioid addiction. This belief often indicates stigma. Additionally, most students reported that their MSW curriculum to date had not adequately prepared them to address the opioid crisis. The study introduces the Attitude-Knowledge-Curriculum (AKC) Social Worker Readiness Model for Opioid Use Disorder that indicates student readiness to serve individuals with OUD is interdependent on the interactions between student attitude and knowledge, as well as the MSW program’s curriculum. The study’s findings underscore the need for a more robust and earlier integration of OUD-specific training within the MSW curriculum. While students recognize the importance of social workers in supporting clients with OUD, they feel unequipped to do so effectively, and many hold beliefs that could hinder a compassionate and effective approach to addiction treatment.
Recommendations
Enhancing knowledge, attitude and curriculum is critical in improving MSW student readiness to help clients impacted by opioid addiction. Given the current public health crisis, incorporating opioid addiction education into the MSW curriculum is critical for improving future social workers’ competency in handling OUD cases. Given the important role that social workers fill in improving client outcomes, improving the quality of their training can lead to more compassionate, informed care for individuals and families affected by the opioid crisis.
Recommended Citation
McDaniel, Kimberly; Yu, Caroline; and Patel, Nirav, "The Need for Curriculum Reform: MSW Students' Understanding of the Opioid Crisis" (2024). MSW Capstone Conference. 20.
https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/msw-conference/20
